Rally to clear wetlands

Borjhar, July 15: More than 500 activists of Kamrup district unit of Sangrami Krishak Sramik Sangha today staged a demonstration in front Azara revenue circle office here demanding immediate eviction of encroachers from wetlands like Deepor Beel to solve the waterlogging problem in the city.

“A section of unscrupulous officials of the circle office is hand in glove with a section of land brokers as a result of which there is unabated encroachment of wetlands at Azara and its nearby areas. That is the main reason behind waterlogging in and around Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Borjhar,” a protester said.

R. Choudhury, assistant general secretary of Asam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, said the flow of the Kalmoni and the Bulla rivers had been disturbed at several areas in Azara because of rampant encroachments and this often leads to waterlogging. “If the two streams are restored into their original shape, waterlogging at the international airport and its periphery could be resolved,” Choudhury said.

The protesters also demanded an immediate halt to deforestation in Rani reserve forest. They have asked the government to allot land deeds to the landless people who have been living in the areas like Matia, Chakardo, and Nepalibasti.

Binod Kalita, a social worker, alleged that the government has stopped collecting revenue from 500 families of Chakardo, Matia and Nepalibasti since 2010.

“The district administration may have hatched a conspiracy to evict the landless people in days to come. They gave a month’s deadline to the Kamrup administration to allot deeds to the 500 families.”